NTV's Silas Apollo, Dickson Onyango rescued

Wednesday March 18 2020

NTV reporter Silas Apollo recounts his experience to colleague Ken Mijungu on Wednesday morning after being rescued alongside his cameraman Dickson Onyango. The two were holed up in the building for at least 12 hours. PHOTO | SCREENGRAB

Summary

The two had crammed in a toilet on the second floor of the building with at least 15 others awaiting rescue when the attackers struck on Tuesday at about 3:15pm.

In a WhatsApp group, Mr Apollo shared with other journalists how scared he was. He said he could hear gunshots all over the building.

The reporter, who was shaken by the ordeal, described the experience as horrific.

NTV reporter Silas Apollo and his cameraman Dickson Onyango have been rescued almost 12 hours after the attack.

The two had crammed in a toilet on the second floor of the building with several others awaiting rescue when the attackers struck on Tuesday at about 3:15pm.

Mr Apollo and Onyango had gone to the interview some of the members of the Commission for Revenue Allocation (CRA) at their Grosvenor Suite offices in Riverside, Nairobi when the attack happened.

In a WhatsApp group, Mr Apollo shared with other journalists how scared he was. He said he could hear gunshots all over the building.

“They have been combing the building and shooting aimlessly. It’s too scary to imagine. I’m inside the building, which is under attack. It’s real guys. Had gone to interview CRA guys, I’m too scared for my life,” Mr Apollo said.

“It’s silent now, though we can hear somebody trying to break the doors. We don’t know where the attackers are and what they are up to,” he added in a Tuesday 4.40pm post.

“We are crammed inside the toilet with a number of guys. I’m very scared,” the reporter further said.

'HORRIFIC ORDEAL'

The NTV crew came out with at least 50 others survivors at about 4am who were rescued from the first floor of the building.

The reporter, who was shaken by the ordeal, described the experience as horrific.

Depending on the movement outside, Mr Apollo and at least 15 others trapped with him, had to change positions moving from the toilets — sometimes crawling, lying on the floor or standing — to the main hall.

From their hideout, Mr Apollo said they could hear the exchanges between the attackers and security officers.

Mr Apollo and Mr Onyango had been in the building for more than 15 hours since they had arrived earlier in the daan assignment.